As Iran continues to be unpredictable following the deal it signed with the United States, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the Islamic terrorist state against the fantasy of imposing fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Newsmax report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday warned Iran against “the fantasy” of imposing fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking after meetings with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in Bahrain, Rubio said the Trump administration will not tolerate any attempt by Tehran to charge commercial vessels for using one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
“Fees and tolls are the same thing to me,” Rubio told reporters. “If you’re paying someone to go there, I don’t care if you call it a fee or a toll or a donation. It’s a toll.”
Rubio argued such a system would be impossible to enforce without threatening international shipping.
“Let’s say a ship says, ‘Well, I’m not going to pay the fee,’” he said. “It’s not like a toll on a road. You don’t get a ticket in the mail. They get shot at. You shoot at one ship, you sink one ship, no other ship is going to move. So that sort of system is not only unwise, it can’t happen. It’s not even workable. So you might as well abandon the fantasy now.“
The secretary said there was “zero support” among Gulf nations for any tolling system and emphasized President Donald Trump has made clear that charging for passage through the strategic waterway “cannot be a part” of any agreement with Iran.
“There isn’t a nation on Earth that supports having to pay money to go through the straits,” Rubio said, adding, “If you are charging money to use the straits, we won’t support it. We won’t tolerate it. We won’t allow it.“
Rubio’s remarks came after reports that some Iranian officials have floated charging ships for security, insurance, and other services following last week’s U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, which temporarily restored free navigation through the strait while broader negotiations continue.
Under the agreement brokered by the Trump administration, Iran agreed to permit toll-free passage for at least 60 days as both sides pursue a broader peace arrangement.
Rubio stressed the administration is focused less on Tehran’s rhetoric than on its actions.
“We’re interested in whether or not ships are moving,” he said. “If ships are moving as they should be moving, then that’s what we’re going to judge. If this rhetoric is backed up by actual ships being threatened and ships are not moving, that’s a violation of the agreement and we’re going to have a problem with it.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think it is just a matter of time before the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran threatens to hit ships and force them to pay a fee for passage through the Strait of Hormuz? Who do you think is actually leading the current regime of Iran right now?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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